Neck Pain
Neck pain and stiffness often come from desk posture, phone use, sleep position, arthritis or whiplash, and can spread into the shoulders, upper back or down the arm. Our Doctors of Physical Therapy treat neck pain one-on-one at our clinics in Franklin, Brentwood and Nashville, Tennessee.
What is behind a stiff neck
A crick in the neck on one morning is common. Pain that keeps coming back usually has a pattern we can find.
Tech neck and desk posture
Hours looking down at a phone or forward at a screen, sometimes called tech neck or text neck, load the muscles at the base of the neck and between the shoulder blades.
Whiplash
A sudden jolt, such as a car accident or a fall, can strain the neck joints and muscles. Whiplash often feels worse a day or two later.
Arthritis in the neck
Wear in the joints of the neck can bring stiffness and limit how far you can turn your head. It is common with age.
A pinched nerve in the neck
A pinched nerve in the neck, called cervical radiculopathy, can cause pain, numbness or tingling that travels into the arm.
Neck pain radiating down your arm
When a nerve is irritated where it leaves the neck, you can feel neck pain radiating down the arm, with tingling in the hand or a weak grip. We test how the neck moves, how the nerve responds and how your shoulder and upper back are working, because the arm symptoms and the neck are usually linked.
Neck and shoulder pain often travel together. If the problem looks like it starts in the shoulder joint instead, see shoulder pain.
Setting up your workstation so your neck stops taking the hit
Screen and keyboard
Raise the screen so the top is about eye level and keep your forearms supported, so your head is not leading your body forward.
Phone and laptop
Bring the phone up toward your eyes and take breaks from laptop work, rather than letting your head hang for long stretches.
Sleep and movement breaks
A pillow that keeps your neck level with your spine, and short breaks to stand and turn your head, help many people.
How we treat neck pain
Hands-on care
Manual therapy to the neck, upper back and shoulder blades to ease stiff joints and tight muscle.
Dry needling and laser
Dry Needling can release trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles. Class IV laser may help ease discomfort while you rebuild.
Strength and posture
Strengthening for the deep neck muscles and upper back, plus coaching on posture and your daily setup.
Headaches that start in your neck
Many tension headaches begin in tight neck and upper-back muscles. If yours do, treating the neck often belongs in the plan, and your physical therapist will tell you if something else needs a doctor. Neck pain after a car accident is assessed the same way, and the red flags below matter most in that case.
See a doctor first, or go to the ER, if you have
- Neck pain after a fall or crash
- Dizziness or vision changes when you move your neck
- Arm weakness that is getting worse
You do not need a physician referral to start physical therapy at Elevate615: Tennessee allows direct access. If longer care later needs a physician involved, we coordinate with them.
Neck pain care in Franklin, Brentwood and Nashville
Elevate615 treats neck pain at our Franklin clinic in Cool Springs, and we also see patients at our Brentwood and Nashville clinics.
You do not need a physician referral to start physical therapy at Elevate615: Tennessee allows direct access. If longer care later needs a physician involved, we coordinate with them.
Meet the people who treat you on our team page.